The expected impact of a cure for HIV among people with HIV and key populations

Abstract Background This study explored the expected impact of two hypothetical HIV cure scenarios on quality of life, sexual satisfaction, and stigma among people with HIV and key populations (i.e., partners and communities of people with HIV and men who have sex with men without HIV) in the Nether...

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Main Authors: Kim A. G. J. Romijnders, Franco Romero Gonzalez, Amy Matser, Myrthe L. Verburgh, Maartje Dijkstra, Peter Reiss, Mirjam Kretzschmar, Pythia Nieuwkerk, Maarten Schim van der Loeff, Maartje Basten, Ganna Rozhnova
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Communications Medicine
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00853-3
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author Kim A. G. J. Romijnders
Franco Romero Gonzalez
Amy Matser
Myrthe L. Verburgh
Maartje Dijkstra
Peter Reiss
Mirjam Kretzschmar
Pythia Nieuwkerk
Maarten Schim van der Loeff
Maartje Basten
Ganna Rozhnova
author_facet Kim A. G. J. Romijnders
Franco Romero Gonzalez
Amy Matser
Myrthe L. Verburgh
Maartje Dijkstra
Peter Reiss
Mirjam Kretzschmar
Pythia Nieuwkerk
Maarten Schim van der Loeff
Maartje Basten
Ganna Rozhnova
author_sort Kim A. G. J. Romijnders
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background This study explored the expected impact of two hypothetical HIV cure scenarios on quality of life, sexual satisfaction, and stigma among people with HIV and key populations (i.e., partners and communities of people with HIV and men who have sex with men without HIV) in the Netherlands. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among people with HIV and key populations from October 2021 until June 2022. We assessed quality of life, sexual satisfaction, and stigma using linear regression and mixed models to compare participants’ current situation with two hypothetical HIV cure scenarios: HIV post-intervention control, where HIV is suppressed without the need for ongoing antiretroviral treatment, but the viral reservoir is expected to persist, and HIV elimination, where HIV is completely removed from the body. Results Our findings show that people with HIV (n = 222) expect improved quality of life and sexual satisfaction, as well as reduced stigma, compared to their current situation following both post-intervention control and elimination. Key populations (n = 495) similarly expect improvements for both HIV cure scenarios, except no expected improvement was found for quality of life following post-intervention control. Participants aged 18 to 34 anticipate greater improvements from both cure scenarios than those over 34. Conclusions Both people with HIV and key populations without HIV expect an HIV cure to have a positive impact on quality of life, sexual satisfaction, and stigma. This impact is expected not only for HIV elimination but also for HIV post-intervention control, the development of which appears more feasible.
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spelling doaj-art-ae8d51ed2b3b41ca8d068340f4becdad2025-08-20T02:55:28ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Medicine2730-664X2025-05-01511910.1038/s43856-025-00853-3The expected impact of a cure for HIV among people with HIV and key populationsKim A. G. J. Romijnders0Franco Romero Gonzalez1Amy Matser2Myrthe L. Verburgh3Maartje Dijkstra4Peter Reiss5Mirjam Kretzschmar6Pythia Nieuwkerk7Maarten Schim van der Loeff8Maartje Basten9Ganna Rozhnova10Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht UniversityJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht UniversityDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service of AmsterdamAmsterdam Institute for Immunology & Infectious diseasesAmsterdam Institute for Immunology & Infectious diseasesAmsterdam Institute for Immunology & Infectious diseasesJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht UniversityAmsterdam Institute for Immunology & Infectious diseasesDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service of AmsterdamJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht UniversityJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht UniversityAbstract Background This study explored the expected impact of two hypothetical HIV cure scenarios on quality of life, sexual satisfaction, and stigma among people with HIV and key populations (i.e., partners and communities of people with HIV and men who have sex with men without HIV) in the Netherlands. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among people with HIV and key populations from October 2021 until June 2022. We assessed quality of life, sexual satisfaction, and stigma using linear regression and mixed models to compare participants’ current situation with two hypothetical HIV cure scenarios: HIV post-intervention control, where HIV is suppressed without the need for ongoing antiretroviral treatment, but the viral reservoir is expected to persist, and HIV elimination, where HIV is completely removed from the body. Results Our findings show that people with HIV (n = 222) expect improved quality of life and sexual satisfaction, as well as reduced stigma, compared to their current situation following both post-intervention control and elimination. Key populations (n = 495) similarly expect improvements for both HIV cure scenarios, except no expected improvement was found for quality of life following post-intervention control. Participants aged 18 to 34 anticipate greater improvements from both cure scenarios than those over 34. Conclusions Both people with HIV and key populations without HIV expect an HIV cure to have a positive impact on quality of life, sexual satisfaction, and stigma. This impact is expected not only for HIV elimination but also for HIV post-intervention control, the development of which appears more feasible.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00853-3
spellingShingle Kim A. G. J. Romijnders
Franco Romero Gonzalez
Amy Matser
Myrthe L. Verburgh
Maartje Dijkstra
Peter Reiss
Mirjam Kretzschmar
Pythia Nieuwkerk
Maarten Schim van der Loeff
Maartje Basten
Ganna Rozhnova
The expected impact of a cure for HIV among people with HIV and key populations
Communications Medicine
title The expected impact of a cure for HIV among people with HIV and key populations
title_full The expected impact of a cure for HIV among people with HIV and key populations
title_fullStr The expected impact of a cure for HIV among people with HIV and key populations
title_full_unstemmed The expected impact of a cure for HIV among people with HIV and key populations
title_short The expected impact of a cure for HIV among people with HIV and key populations
title_sort expected impact of a cure for hiv among people with hiv and key populations
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00853-3
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